1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a unique ear piercing system that is capable of inserting odd shaped decorative headed earrings of various thickness and shapes into a disposable cartridge.
Ear piercing devices in existence are either stud piercers which are usually made with a smaller diameter pointed end and with an increased diameter shaft beyond the pointed end which resides within the earlobe after insertion. The stud ear piercing earring is usually fabricated from a solid shaped material and machined to create the stepped shaft diameters limiting the shape of the decorative stud head. Stud earrings are also restricted to specific head diameters as to be retained in the piercing instrument. Such instruments contain a series of interchangeable adapters to accommodate the head of such studs, creating a limited selection of styles and increased difficulty in preparing the piercing instrument to accept the stud.
The alternate ear piercer usually consists of a smaller diameter straight shaft post of uniform diameter containing a locking undercut portion that engages a clutch to which post a decorative head is attached.
A number of piercing devices in use employ an outer cartridge and slideable inner capsule, on occasion containing a spacing shim within to accommodate the irregular shaped earring head. This construction requires the inner capsule to be of such design as to allow the decorative head of the earring to open the inner capsule after such earring has been inserted into the ear. The geometry of the decorative head is severely limited as in the stud design of earring. Examples of such ear piercing devices are described in the following patents.